


An Incredibly Awkward Conversation About Romance

by Bi_lithiumcrystals



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, M/M, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, post-episode v7e4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2021-02-24 15:28:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21680191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bi_lithiumcrystals/pseuds/Bi_lithiumcrystals
Summary: Yang still has doubts about keeping secrets from Ironwood and goes to talk to Qrow. The conversation devolves into talking about the people they're pining for.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Qrow Branwen & Yang Xiao Long, Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood
Comments: 8
Kudos: 164





	1. Chapter 1

Yang knocked on the door to Qrow's room at Atlas Academy. It was part of the staff quarters even though there was no intention for him to teach there to her knowledge. After a few moments he opened the door.

"Hey, firecracker, did you get lost on your way to the dorms?" he joked, leaning against the doorframe.

She hesitated and took a breath before asking, "Can I talk to you?"

He raised his eyebrows and stepped away from the entrance, gesturing for her to walk inside. The quarters weren't too different from hers and the rest of the team's, but it was a bit larger and the fact that it was made for one person instead of four made it feel even more spacious. There were chairs in the room, but she sat cross-legged on the bed anyway, noting it was more comfortable than the one she had been given. Qrow walked into her view and leaned back against the wall across from her.

"What's on your mind, kid?"

She took a beat before speaking, trying to figure out how to begin. "You've known General Ironwood for years, right?"

Qrow pressed his lips together while sighing through his nose. He walked over and took a seat on the opposite end of the bed, facing her. "Yeah, I have."

She readjusted to properly face him again. "Are you friends? Or is this whole 'Ozpin's Secret Spies' thing just like coworkers?"

Qrow let out a small laugh. "Both. I met him when Oz brought him into the circle, and for years we didn't get along. Had different opinions on pretty much everything." He made a sweeping gesture with his hands to emphasize the point. "But, as I got to know him, we got closer, and we figured out that the decisions we both thought made the other an idiot were actually all about trying to do good, just in different ways. I still think he's an idiot, but he's also a good man. One that I care about." He had a soft smile at that.

She raised an eyebrow, teasing. "Almost sounds like you have a crush."

He laughed at that, but didn't deny it. "Like you're one to talk about crushing on a coworker."

She reared back. "Wait, really? Also, I don't know what you're talking about." The second sentence was accompanied by accusatory finger pointing.

It was Qrow's turn to raise an eyebrow and give a teasing grin. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you and Blake hold hands the entire flight here?"

"We had just been through something together! Look, this isn't even the point," she waved her hands as if clearing away the conversation. She dropped her hands into her lap and stared at them, unsure as to how to get back to the reason she came here.

Qrow leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "I assume 'the point' is about how we're hiding the truth from James?"

She huffed out a breath. "Yeah. I know we said we'd stand by Ruby, and I know he's definitely made some questionable choices about how to run things here, but hiding the truth just seems wrong. And I don't even know him all that well," she was staring at one particular hand now, the one Ironwood was responsible for her having.  
"How do you lie to the faces of the people you're supposed to be working with?" She made eye contact with Qrow again. "How do you do it when you're friends? Or more than friends?"

"It's not like it's my first time keeping secrets."

She scoffed. "Trust me, I know."

Both of his eyebrows shot up at that. "Is that bitterness about Tai and I keeping Oz's secrets or not telling you about your mom?"

"I think I have plenty reason to be bitter about both," she snapped, no real heat behind it but still defensive.

He leaned back and spread his hands in a small surrender. "I didn't say you don't, but that doesn't change that you _are_ bitter."

She sighed and looked away from him. "I know why you didn't tell us Oz's secrets- they're insane. And I'm assuming the secrets about my mom were because they were intertwined with Oz's. But the fact that I get it doesn't mean it doesn't suck that you and dad couldn't trust me-"

"You're a kid-" he raised his hand out to interject.

"I'm not anymore. But like I said, I get it." She finally looked back at him. "But that doesn't make it feel any less like you thought I was untrustworthy. And that's what we're gonna make the leader of a kingdom feel like. We have to talk about what will happen when he finds out."

Qrow sighed. "I get what you're saying, kid. But for as much as James likes to talk about honesty, he's not a stranger to keeping secrets either. If he can hide a robot kid from me and Oz, he can deal with us hiding the information that- need I remind you- sent me into the worst spiral I've had in a very long time."

"So you're justifying it by saying it's a way to protect him?"

"I'm not justifying it. I feel shitty about it too. But I have faith James will understand."

"But-"

"Yang, I don't have an answer for what's the right thing to do here. I hate lying to him, but I also see that he's basically running a police state. There's no telling what telling him will do to him, and doing this seems like the safest option right now. And besides, what's most important to me right now is you and Ruby. If you two decide together to tell him, I'm more than with you. But until that happens, I'm not doing anything to go against you girls."

She sighed and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "Okay. I just hate not knowing what's right."

She saw out of the corner of her eye as Qrow raised his hand in a mock toast. "Welcome to Ozpin's world. There's never any simple answers."

She closed her eyes and just stayed there for a moment, taking in everything. She had made her choice- she was going to stay a part of this and work to take down Salem as best as they could. But having made that choice didn't make dealing with all of the complications that were inherent to this mission any easier.

When she did finally sit back up and open her eyes, she saw Qrow biting his lip and fidgeting with his rings.

"Uncle Qrow, are you okay?"

"Yeah." He didn't look at her.

"Is that true?"

He stopped fidgeting and clenched his fists before glancing at her. "I just… I normally deal with how screwed up it all is by drinking, but now I don't know what to do."

"Did you stop drinking?"

He huffed a small laugh. "Trying to. Told myself I would stop on the airship. It's sucked a lot so far, but I haven't had the impulse this strong until now. What are you supposed to do instead of drinking?"

"I… don't know. I don't know what it's like to want to drink." She didn't think needed to say why she had never been interested.

"Yeah? Are we sure we're related?" He was joking, but also clearly struggling.

She tilted her head and furrowed her brow. "Should I distract you?"

"I don't know, but I don't really know what else to do. Have anything in mind?"

"Um…" It was nearing lights out. She didn't think they'd get in serious trouble, but they'd get a lot of attention if they tried to walk through the campus to leave right now, which she didn't think Qrow would want. So that meant doing something in the room that would occupy all of his mind. "We could talk about your apparent crush?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Or we could talk about yours."

She opened her mouth to make some sort of comeback, but decided against it. It's not like she didn't need someone to talk to about Blake anyway- someone who wouldn't respond by asking her to go feed chickens. And she was curious about her uncle's seeming crush on Ironwood.

"Okay, fine. Let's have an incredibly awkward conversation about romance


	2. Chapter 2

"So…." she tried to figure out where to start. "What is it about him?"

Qrow crossed his fingers tightly and pressed his lips together, considering. "He's… warm. In a way that people don't realize at first. But he cares a lot about people and does his best to do right by them. He was one of the first people besides Oz to not treat me like a liability even after finding out about my semblance. And it's really fun seeing him try not to laugh and keep up that stoic image of his. Plus, I mean, have you seen the guy?" He laughed. "Especially with that new beard."

"Gross."

"Hey, you asked. What about you? What makes Blake so special?"

"Everything. She's so brave, Uncle Qrow. She's been through so much but has come out stronger and more kind. She's so passionate about trying to help make the world a better place. And she's _so _smart- I could listen to her talk about books I haven't even read for hours. She's thoughtful and doesn't judge- she sees people for who they really are." She clasped her hands in her lap. "I can't imagine a better person than her."__

__Her gaze had drifted down as she spoke, but after a few moments of contemplation, she looked back up at him. "Have you thought about telling him?"_ _

__"I take it you've thought about telling her?"_ _

__Yang sighed and lay back on the bed. "All the time. I just…" she clenched her fist and then opened it again. "She's had so many shitty experiences with people who are into her. I don't want to add to that. I don't want her to think I don't also love her as a friend. I don't want to risk ruining that friendship that we just got back. I just don't want to do anything that will hurt her." She turned her head to look at him again. "Does it ever get any easier?"_ _

__Qrow had a soft smile. "Not really."_ _

__"Ugh." She threw her head back to stare at the ceiling again. "How do you deal with it?"_ _

__"In my experience, by ignoring it and finding the bottom of a bottle. But I don't really recommend that option."_ _

__"How weird was it for you to see him again?"_ _

__"Well, I definitely didn't expect to be handcuffed the next time I saw him. But after Penny went to show you guys the dorms, he told me it was good to see me and hugged me." He also laid down on the bed at this point._ _

__"Oh yeah?" She turned to him and raised an eyebrow._ _

__"It was… a lot to take in. I could not think of what to say and I'm pretty sure I was really awkward when it ended."_ _

__"I get that. You should have heard me trying to compliment her hair. I was a total mess."_ _

__"Ah, so we are related." They both laughed and were silent for a while after._ _

__About a minute had passed before Qrow spoke again. "I did almost tell him. Last time I saw him."_ _

__Yang propped herself up on her elbow and turned to face him. "At Beacon?"_ _

__Qrow didn't make eye contact. "Yeah. We had no idea what was going on. We knew it was Salem, but beyond that… And I didn't know what had happened to you. Pretty much all we knew was that we were probably gonna die that night. He almost did. A griffon attacked and he didn't see it, so I ran past and killed it, but because he didn't see it, he thought I was going after him. That I thought he was still controlling the drones and was gonna attack him for it. And he just called out my name and turned his gun around. He would have rathered I take my scythe to him than attack me. I honestly still haven't stopped thinking about that."_ _

__"Why didn't you tell him?"_ _

__"We saw the light on top of the tower and I had to go find your sister. And he had a country to come and fuck up while trying to protect it."_ _

__They sat in silence again._ _

__Eventually, Yang broke it. "I'm really proud of you, y'know."_ _

__Qrow finally turned to her, his brow furrowed. "Why?"_ _

__"Quitting drinking. I know it can't be easy. Especially after…" finding out one of your friends betrayed you and lead hunters to their deaths? Your sister trying to kill you? Realizing the man you dedicated your life to following was lying to you the entire time? Reuniting with the man you had been pining for for years only to end up lying and hiding from him? What was she even supposed to pick? "... everything."_ _

__"Yeah. It kinda sucks. But on the bright side, I'm already reaping the rewards. You should have seen the way your sister smiled at me when we first arrived and I went for my flask but didn't drink.  
You girls mean the world to me. I'm gonna try not to fuck that up anymore."_ _

__"Did talking like this help?"_ _

__"Kind of. I still want a drink, but I'm not about to go do it anymore. You're a good kid, Yang. I'm sorry you've got me for an uncle."_ _

__She punched his arm lightly. "Aww, come on, you could be worse. At least we're not Schnees."_ _

__He laughed at that, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. I'm starting to actually feel bad for Winter, which is something I never thought I'd say. It's a good thing Weiss has you and the others." He paused for a moment. "You know, you really have everything that's good about your mother in you."_ _

__She reared back a little at that. "Um, thanks? Where did that come from?"_ _

__"It's just true. You're amazing and I'm glad you're my family."_ _

__She flopped back to look at the ceiling again, crossing her hands over her stomach. "Thanks."_ _

__He let out a noise that was half a sigh, half a laugh. "I guess sober me is a sap."_ _

__"It's kinda nice. Weird though."_ _

__"Sounds like this whole conversation."_ _

__She smiled at that. "Thanks for talking with me. We haven't just sat down with each other in years."_ _

__"No problem; anytime. I'll try to be less of a disaster next time."_ _

__"What? You want me to be a disaster all by myself?"_ _

__He laughed as he sat up and ruffled her hair while she tried to bat his hand away._ _

__"I'm doing okay now if you want to leave."_ _

__"It's past lights out; do you think I'll get in trouble making my way back?"_ _

__"You got arrested recently and you're worried about getting in trouble at a school you don't even go to?"_ _

__"Well, when you put it like that…"_ _

__"You can stay here if you want."_ _

__"No, I wanna spend some time with the team anyway if they're not asleep."_ _

__"You mean spend time with Blake?"_ _

__She felt her cheeks heat. "I mean spend time with all of them, but yeah. Blake."_ _

__"Good luck kid." He pulled her in for quick hug and waved her off._ _

__"Alright, Uncle Qrow. Good luck to you too."_ _

__She still didn't know how to feel about their mission and what they were doing for it, but she felt better about who she was with. The way forward may be uncertain, but at least she was working together with people who were still thinking about their actions and who she loved._ _


End file.
